Rosie

Rosie

Christopher T. Assaf, Baltimore Sun photo

Susan Muher found her best friend just 15 minutes after she started looking. Her 15-year-old Chihuahua died three years ago, and Susan found herself with a hole in her heart and room in her home. So she went to Petfinder.com, which places rescue dogs in homes around the country, and looked for a small, young dog who would be good with children. Rosie, who's half Chihuahua and half dachshund, popped up immediately. She was in a South Carolina shelter, having been left their by her previous owners, who didn't want the pups she was pregnant with. "The shelter also didn't want puppies, so Rosie was scheduled to be euthanized the next day," says Muher. Thankfully, Rosie was picked up by a volunteer network of rescue-dog transporters before she met an untimely end. "Rosie made it to Maryland the next day and delivered three pups shortly after," says Muher. She spent two months in a foster home to nurse her pups, and then the puppies were placed in families and Rosie went to her home in Owings Mills with Muher. "What a miracle for her and us," says Muher. "She has turned out to be the sweetest dog we have ever had." She's now a Pets on Wheels therapy dog who visits a nursing home every month. "They so look forward to her visits," says Muher. To have your pet -- including hamsters, snakes, horses, guinea pigs and the like -- considered for Collared, email information to sun.unleashed@gmail.com. -Kim Fernandez

Susan Muher found her best friend just 15 minutes after she started looking. Her 15-year-old Chihuahua died three years ago, and Susan found herself with a hole in her heart and room in her home. So she went to Petfinder.com, which places rescue dogs in homes around the country, and looked for a small, young dog who would be good with children. Rosie, who's half Chihuahua and half dachshund, popped up immediately. She was in a South Carolina shelter, having been left their by her previous owners, who didn't want the pups she was pregnant with. "The shelter also didn't want puppies, so Rosie was scheduled to be euthanized the next day," says Muher. Thankfully, Rosie was picked up by a volunteer network of rescue-dog transporters before she met an untimely end. "Rosie made it to Maryland the next day and delivered three pups shortly after," says Muher. She spent two months in a foster home to nurse her pups, and then the puppies were placed in families and Rosie went to her home in Owings Mills with Muher. "What a miracle for her and us," says Muher. "She has turned out to be the sweetest dog we have ever had." She's now a Pets on Wheels therapy dog who visits a nursing home every month. "They so look forward to her visits," says Muher. To have your pet -- including hamsters, snakes, horses, guinea pigs and the like -- considered for Collared, email information to sun.unleashed@gmail.com. -Kim Fernandez (Christopher T. Assaf, Baltimore Sun photo)

Susan Muher found her best friend just 15 minutes after she started looking. Her 15-year-old Chihuahua died three years ago, and Susan found herself with a hole in her heart and room in her home. So she went to Petfinder.com, which places rescue dogs in homes around the country, and looked for a small, young dog who would be good with children. Rosie, who's half Chihuahua and half dachshund, popped up immediately. She was in a South Carolina shelter, having been left their by her previous owners, who didn't want the pups she was pregnant with. "The shelter also didn't want puppies, so Rosie was scheduled to be euthanized the next day," says Muher. Thankfully, Rosie was picked up by a volunteer network of rescue-dog transporters before she met an untimely end. "Rosie made it to Maryland the next day and delivered three pups shortly after," says Muher. She spent two months in a foster home to nurse her pups, and then the puppies were placed in families and Rosie went to her home in Owings Mills with Muher. "What a miracle for her and us," says Muher. "She has turned out to be the sweetest dog we have ever had." She's now a Pets on Wheels therapy dog who visits a nursing home every month. "They so look forward to her visits," says Muher. To have your pet -- including hamsters, snakes, horses, guinea pigs and the like -- considered for Collared, email information to sun.unleashed@gmail.com. -Kim FernandezChristopher T. Assaf, Baltimore Sun photo